PS4 Launch Title DRIVECLUB Delayed
October 18, 2013
Positioned as one of the premiere launch titles for the PlayStation 4, Sony's DRIVECLUB (do we really have to do the all-caps thing like Sony wants?) has been delayed from its November launch into next year. Needless to say, there's lots of disappointment all around, but I don't think it's related so much to a demand for DRIVECLUB (yeah, I'm not going to be able to keep this all-caps thing up for long), but because the game was slated to be available in a slightly stripped-down form as a free PlayStation Plus download. Puzzle platformer title Contrast is taking the free slot in the Plus lineup. Here's the PlayStation Blog to crush your launch day dreams:
SCE Worldwide Studios and the team at Evolution Studios have made the difficult decision to delay the release of DRIVECLUB and DRIVECLUB PlayStation Plus Edition until early 2014. DRIVECLUB will be a truly innovative, socially connected racing game, but the team requires more time in order to deliver on their vision — and I’m fully confident the game will surpass your expectations.
This decision also affects PlayStation Plus members’ Instant Game Collection for launch. To be clear, DRIVECLUB PlayStation Plus Edition will still be part of the Instant Game Collection when it is released. For the PS4 launch, in addition to Resogun, I’m pleased to announce that Contrast, the highly anticipated game from Compulsion Games will also be available to PlayStation Plus members for free as part of Instant Game Collection. If you’re not aware of Contrast, it will whisk you away to a surreal vaudevillian, film-noir inspired reality full of performance, intrigue, shadow-play and drama.
I was looking forward to the Plus version of DRIVECLUB (remember when Sony used to insist we spell Cole MacGrath's game as inFAMOUS and how that didn't last either?) as well as Ubisoft's now-delayed Watch Dogs, so my revised launch plans now are to enjoy the two free Plus games and rent Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. It'll still be a busy gaming season, but just with a bit of a shuffle. It's a major blow to those who were specifically looking forward to Driveclub (enough already with the caps), but buying new hardware at launch is always a risky proposition.